Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-11-12
A STRANGE INDIAN DANCE.
QUEER PERFORMANCES IN AN AR
APAHoE TEPEE.

A Squaw's White and Copper-CoI-
ored Partners, all Jumping and
Howling-Singular OscuIation.
The night of my arrival at Fort Reno
was bright and clear, writes Lee Meri-
wether in the Cdsmor0litoR. The garrison
was strong: the Indians were held well
In check. l was not troubled with fears
of personal safety. A noise of voices
and drums foated through the still night
air from the tepees several miles away.
Mr.. Curtis, one of the Fort scouts. sad
died couple of horses, and after supper
we galloped across the level prairie in
the moonlight to attend an Arapahoe
dance.
On reaching the village we singled
out the tepee whence issued the noise of
drums and voices, and crawling through
the door-a hole in the canvas about
three feet high-found ourselves among
thirty or forty painted bucks and squaws
The squaws were huddled on the ground
in one corner of the tepee; in the oppo-
site corner crouched the painted braves
An old drum was on the ground in the
centre of the tepee; around it s1uatted
six men Justify beating the drum, aud at
the same time bawling at the top of their
powerful lungs. No notice was taken
of our entrance. We quietly placed our
selves in the braves corner.
Presently squaw arose, and with
kind of reeling motion advanced
toward us. She glanced a moment at
row of bucks, then tapped one on the
head; he arose and stood in silence.
The squaw scanned again the faces
before her. She seemed about to tap
me on the head, but hesitated, and
finally bestowed her favor upon Mr. Cur
It's. He arose to his feet; the s1uaw
pla ed herself between her two partners,
her face looking in the opposite direction
from which they looked; then putting
her arm around the two mems neeks, all
three began springing up and down,
howling in concert with the howls of the
men beating the drum.
O.her squaws came forward. selected
partners, and joined in the strange dance.
l congratulated myself on being wall
flower; but my self-gratulations were
premature, for when the row of braves
was pretty well thinned out, a kind
hearted maid took pity on my loneliness
and tapped me on the head Her other
partner was Misunderstanding Indian,
who could doubtless have run all day
without tiring. Certainly the springy
motion, whic,- was excessively fatig-
uing to me, did not seem to please him.
Moka Wolftrack (that was the name of
my squaw partner) was unsparing in the
looks Of contempt she bestowed on the
tends. foot pale-face from the East.
At the conclusion of the dance, after
springing up'and down until completely
exhausted, my partner did a singular
thing; she turned and gave me a kiss
square on the mouth submitted with
what seemed to me very good grace in
deed. but Moka nevertheless gave me
another savage look, abruptly removing
her arm from round my neck and re-
treated to her corner, apparently dis
gusted as well as offended. My offense,
as subsequently, learned, lay in not
transmitting from my mouth to hers, when
she kissed me, some bead or other
trinket, az is customary. Mr.. Curtis,
who was acquainted with the custom,
transferred to his partner, bya kiss.
bright blue bead, and so came out of the
dance with as much eclat as though he
were a real Indian instead of mere In
d an scout